Venetian blind



G. A. MOORE VENETIAN BLIND Npv. 7, 1950 Filed May 14, 1946 INVENTOR GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE.

W W M PM ATTORNEY5 Nov- 7, 1950 G. A. MOORE VENETIAN- BLIND Filed May 14; 1946 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIII INVENTOR GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE ORNEYS Patented Nov. 7, 1950 2,529,305 VENETIAN n'LI'ND.

George Arlington Moore, New York, N. Y.,' assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Application May 14, 1946, Serial No. 669,505

1 Claim.

- l This invention relates to Venetian blinds and has for its object the provision of an improved Venetian blind characterized by a construction and arrangement whereby the louver slats may be folded into substantially upright and close fitting contact with each other when the blind is closed.

Venetian blinds as heretofore constructed comprise louver slats suspended on edge tapes which are so spaced apart when the blind is closed that the slats are inclined far from the vertical and accordingly cannot be closed tightly, that is to say, brought into close contact with each other. This inability to close tightly is due to the attachment of the tapes to the tilting head-rail and bottom-rail, and to the construction of the louver slats, particularly at those places where the elevating cords pass through slots in the louver slats. In other words, the tapes and cords either prevent, or are unable to effect, tight closing of the louver slats. Another disadvantage with such Venetian blinds is the inaccessibility of the slats for cleaning due to their inclination and overlapping positions.

The improved Venetian blind of this invention overcomes the limitations of the present blinds, providing a head-rail and bottom-rail mounting for the tapes which permit them to assume close or contacting parallel positions when the blind is closed, and louver slats with means preventing th elevating cords from holding the slats apart, as well as means for efiecting a close-fitting contact of the adjoining louver slats. The head and bottom rails are preferably so constructed that In an they force the tapes together when tilted. advantageous construction, I mount the tapes in "openings which are so constructed that they pinch the tapes together top and bottom when the rails are tilted to the closed position.

In another aspect of the invention. the louver slats are formed of sheet metal which is stamped, pressed, rolled, or otherwise shaped to effect the results herein described. In one of its aspects the invention provides louver slats with offset longitudinal edges which effect an edge-to-edge engagement of the adjoining slats, resulting in a substantially fiat exterior when the blind is closed. In another embodiment. the metal slats have projections from the opposite fiat surfaces which bear against the tapes and hold the slats in their upright contacting positions when closed.

These and other novel features of the invention will be better understood after considering the following discussion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

2 Fig. 1 is a front view of several louver slats when in closed position in a Venetian blind embodying the invention;

Fig. 2' is a sectional View in perspective along line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary perspective views of louver slats of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view, with parts Iinisection, of a Venetian blind embodying the slat of Fig. 8 in the horizontal or wide open position in a blind, and Fig. 10 is a similar view when in the vertical or fully closed position. 20 7,

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an arrangement of louver slats L having offset overlapping edge connections. The slats form a substantially fiat surface when closed, and while the adjacent slats may have some end-to-end play or clearance, they form a complete obstruction to view and light because of the overlapping edges, The

closed blind may easily be cleaned, as in the washing of any flat surface. The louver slats of 'Figs. 3, 4 and 8 give the flat closed position of the slats shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I

The louver slats shown in Figs. 3 and 4 have longitudinal edge grooves G on one side and a similar longitudinal groove G on the opposite side, each extending the entire length of the slats. When the louver slats of Fig. 3 are formed of metal, these grooves or offset recesses may be formed by rolling or by any suitable method for removing the metal. The louver slat ofFig. 4 is preferably formed of sheet metal and comprises two superposed sheets. The two sheets of metal are the same Width and are offset to provide the longitudinal grooves. The two strips of metal may be bonded together in a rolling operation or connected by rivets and the like.

The Venetian blind illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 comprises a head-rail I with the usual device 2 for tilting the rail by means of the cords 3. The tilting device 2 is attached to the bar 4 which is fixed by bracket 5 to the window frame 6. The elevating cord 1 is attached at its lower end to the bottom-rail 8 which serves as a ballast for the blind. The cord passes through the inclined slot 9 into the channel It) and then to any suitable catch-and-release mechanism, not shown, for the elevating and the lowering of the slats and bottom-rail. The tapes l2 and [3 pass through an opening [4 in the head-rail and are attached at the upper surface thereof by the tacks IS. The lower ends of the tapes pass through the opening I! in the bottom-rail and are attached at the lower edge thereof by the tacks I8. The usual cross straps 20 are stitched to the tapes and support the louver slats 2 I.

Fig. 5 shows only the left side portion of a Venetian blind viewed from the front. It is understood, of course, that the right side is syn'i' metrical, with the exception that the tilting device 2 is not usually employed on both ends and there is a catch device (not shown) for adjusting the position of the elevating cords.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the openings i4 and H are somewhat narrower than the width of the louver slats and this arrangement has a tendency to press the tapes into contact with the edges of the louver slats when they are wide open, as

shownin Fig. 6. Moreover, the inner edges of the holes 1'4 and I! over which the tapes pass are preferably arcuate. The louver slats are rabbeted "along the longitudinal edges providing the opposite ofisets or channels 22 and 23. Fig. 6 shows the position of the louver slats when the blind is wide open and the bottom-rail at its lowermost position. The cord I passes through the usual elongated slots 24 and hangs in a taut vertical position.

- As shown in Fig. 7, the tilting device 2 has tilted the head-rail l to the angular position and the tapes have tilted the bottom-rail 8 to a correspondingangular position. It will be seen that the edges of the holes I4 and I1 against which the tapes are held are so spaced when in the angular position that they tend to pinch the tapes l2 and 13 together, forcing them into close contact with each other. This results in the louver slats -assuming the substantial vertical positions shown 1 in Fig. '7. By using cords 1 which are very small in diameter, such as fine stranded wire or cable, the

louver slats can lie one over the other with the channels of adjoining slats in overlapping contact. "This construction permits the louver slats to be closed tightly and to assume substantially vertical fiat positions with the offset longitudinal edges in overlapping positions. Figs.'8, 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of louver slat which is advantageously formed of sheet metal, such as sheet aluminum. The louver longitudinal offset edges, as shown in'the modifications of Figs, 3 and 4.

' contacting the cord. The mounting of the tapes Fig. 9 shows the louver slat in the horizontal wide open position supported on the strap 38 which is attached to the tapes 31 and 38. The cord 39 passes through the slot 3| in the usual manner.

Fig. 10 shows the blind in its closed position. The tapes 3'! and 38 assume relatively close positions and bear against the projections 34 and 35, thus forcing the louver slats to assume their vertical positions. The channels 32 and 33 provide ample space for the cord 39 and permit the louver slats to be moved to the vertical positions without 31 and'38 on the head and bottom rails, as shown in Figs. Etc 7, in combination with the construction of the louver slats, as in Fig. 8, permits the blind to be closed tightly with the louver slats embracing a vertical plane.

I claim:

In Venetian blinds, and in combination, a tiltable headrail'havin'g a plurality of spaced transverse elongated apertures, a plurality of louver slats, straps for supportingthe louver slats. said straps being in pairs, each pair of straps extending'through one'of said elongated apertures in the head-railin substantially spaced relationship when the blind is open, the straps being-secured to said rail at opposite sides thereof as to each pair ofstraps, a bottom rail having spaced apertures complementary to those of the head-rail, means on the rails to force the straps toward each other when the rails are tilted to the closed position, at least two slots ineach louver slat and elevating cords attached to the bottom rail and passing through said slots, said slots being relatively longso'thatthe cords do not obstruct vertical alignment of the louver slats when the blind -is closed, and the said apertures in the head-rail and'bottom rail being elongated in such manner as to direct the straps downwardly in substantial- 1y straight-line position through said apertures when the blind is in closed position, as and for the purpose set forth.. g e l GEORGE! ARLINGTON MOORE;

REFERENCES CITED The'foll'owing references are of record in the file of this-patent:

2,378,591 Solis June 19, 1945 

